Atlanta United today announced Dimitrios Efstathiou will join the front office as Vice President of Soccer Operations & Strategy, effective August 6. Efstathiou comes to Atlanta United from Major League Soccer, where he previously served as Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs for MLS and Soccer United Marketing (SUM) and most recently as Senior Vice President of Player Relations & Competition. He will report to club president Darren Eales.
“Dimitrios is a seasoned executive with extensive experience at the league level,” said Eales. “He will be a valuable strategic addition to our front office with his legal background and comprehensive knowledge of MLS commercial and competition guidelines. Along with his broad domestic and international soccer relationships both on the commercial and technical side, Dimitrios brings a strong familiarity with roster management and the player acquisition process to our Technical Department. We look forward to welcoming him to the club in August.”
Efstathiou will oversee the soccer operations team for the club including leading strategy across Atlanta United and the club’s soccer properties. He will also be responsible for managing the administration of the salary cap and player transfers. Vice President and Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra will continue to lead the technical department including player personnel and coaching staff management, performance and scouting for the First Team, ATL UTD 2 and Academy program.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work directly with Dimitrios over the last few years and I know his work ethic and deep knowledge of MLS will be a great complement to our staff,” Bocanegra said. “He has a thorough understanding of league roster construction policies and guidelines and brings a wealth of knowledge in international commercial areas that will add another dimension to our long-term strategy. I’m looking forward to working alongside him and building a strong partnership as we grow the club.”
Efstathiou has worked in MLS since 2011 when he joined as Senior Counsel. He spent the previous decade working in law, including serving as the Head of Legal for EFG Bank in London. In his role as Senior Vice President of Player Relations & Competition at Major League Soccer, Efstathiou led the department that managed the player acquisition process for each of the league’s 27 clubs. He was also responsible for the maintenance and interpretation of numerous competition policies for teams. Among other duties on the commercial side, Efstathiou helped negotiate sponsorship agreements with several key partners for MLS and SUM, including Target, AT&T, Audi and Coca-Cola.
“I am thrilled to be joining Atlanta United as Vice President of Soccer Operations & Strategy,” said Efstathiou. “I was able to join MLS during a period of rapid growth, and the experience and insight I gained at the league level has been invaluable. Atlanta United has a reputation for excellence, and I’m excited for the opportunity to contribute to the club’s front office. I look forward to working with Darren and Carlos and further building on the club’s success.”